The Labor enquirer., 1887-04-30
| AFhgE TALK
The Sad History Of I Woman
Wage Worker u
Now York.
TOLD BY HEIEE CAMPBELL
Only oRs 4 . thousand Similar II
stances Occurring IN Every
s'... city.
Fsom ths ~Pr,soners u Poverty."

another In like case.
Born in Cherry street tsnement-house
she had refused to be killed BY ssmi-star
vation Of foul smells, or dirt Of any natur
whatsoeyer. Dennis Haggsrty, long
shoreman professionally, and door Of a
odd jobs IN the intervals Of his discharges
and re-epgsgements, explained the situa
tion to his own satisfaction, If not TO tina
Of Rose and the ave other small Hag
gertys remaining from the brood Of
twelve.
"f q man wants his dhrink that bai
that no matter what he's said overnight
he'd sell his soul by the time mornin
comes for even thimbleful, he's got jis'
60 to destruction, an there's NO sthoppin
him. An I've small call 70 be blamin
Norah whin she comforts herself bit in
the same manner of way, nor will &C
longs me names Dennis Haggerty. But
you, Rose, you look out an get any money
you'll find in me pockets, an keep the
children straight, an all the ssintsll see
you through the job"
Rose listened, the laugh in her blue eyes
ahadowed BY the sense Of responsibility
that by seven was fully developed. She
did not wonder that her mother drank
Why not when there was no fire in the
stove, and nothing to cook if there had
been, and the children counted it a gala
day when they had a scraping of butter on
the breadi But as often happens in these
cases, the disgust at smell and taste of
liquor grew with every month Of her life,
and two at least Of the children shared it.
They were never beaten; for Haggerty at
his worst remained good-natured, and
when sober wept maudlin tears over his
flock and svore that no drop should ever
pass his lips again; and Norah echoed
every word, and for days perhaps washed
and scrubbed and secured, earning fair
wages, and gradually redeemins the
clothes and furniture pledged round the
corner.
Rose went to school when she had any
thing to wear, and learned in time, when
she saw the first symptoms Of another de
bauch, to bundle every wearable thing to-
gether and take them and all small prop
critics TO the old shoemaker on the first
floor, where they remained in hiding till it
was safe to produce them again. She had
learned this and many apothef method be-
fore the fever which suddenly appeared in
early spring took not only her father and
mother, but the small Dennis whose career
as newsboy had been her pride and de-
light, and who haa, been relied upon as
half at least of their future dependence.
There remained, then, Norah, hopelessly
inc curable of spinal disease and helpless to
move save az Rose lifted her, and the three
little ones, As to whose special gifts there
was as yet no definite knowledge.
In the meantime they were simply three
very olamorous mouths to be stopped with
sucb food as might be; and Rose entered
a bag factory block away, leaving bread
and knife and molasses-p pitcher by Norah'a
bed, and trusting the saints to avert dis
aster from the three experimenting babies
She earned the first month go, or $2.5O
a week, but being exceptionally quick,
was promoted in the second to a weekly
The rent was Sc month; and during the
first one the old shoemaker came to the
rescue, had an occasional eye to the chill.
dren, and himself paid the rent, telling
Rose to return it when she could. When
the ten hours labor ended, the child
barely fourteen, rushed home to cook
something warm for supper, and whom the
children we're comforted and tucked away
| in the wretched old bed, that still was
clean and decent, washed and mended
their RAG Of clothes, and brought suct
order a. she could into the forlorn room
It was the old shoemaker, q patient, sad
eyed old Scotchman, who also had hA
story, Who settled for her at last that {
machine must, be had in order that sht
might work at home. The woman in tn,
room back Of his took in shirts from ,
manufacturer on Division street. ant
made often 81 and 90 q week. She was
ready to teach, and in two or three even
ings Rose had practically mastered de-
tails, and settled that, as she was so young
she would not apply for work in person.
but take it through Mrs. Molonsy, who
would be supposed to have gone into bust
ness on her own account as sweater
Whatever temptations Mrs. Moloney may
have bad TO make little profit a. Amid-
dle-msn,r she resisted, and herself saw
that the machine selected was good one
that no advantage vas taken Of Roses in
experience; and that the agent had no op-
portunity to follow out what had now and
thsn been his method, and hint TO the girl
that her pretty face entitled hsr 70 conces-
sions that would b best made In private
intsevisw.
sfsF; Il
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